Electric search-lamp.



R. H. .WELLES. ELECTRIC SEARCH LAMP.-

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 4, I915.

Patent d Feb. 1916.

UNITED STATES PATENT euros.

RICHARD H. WELLES, OF KENOSHA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO THE BADGER BRASS MFG. (20., OF KENOSHA, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

ELECTRIC SEARCH-LAMP.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD H. VVELLES,

a citizen 'of the United States, residing at ElectricSearch-Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

electric search lamps andyalthough adaptable for various types of lamps, is particularly Well fitted for use in the construction of head-lamps on vehicles.

tion taken on the tion of Fig. 4, looking tremely practical and tention to economy in In the drawings which accompany this application I have illustrated a bicycle headlamp embodying takenthrough the center of the lamp; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of Fig. 1, certain parts being I details of the construction;'Fig. 3 is a secline 33 .of Fig. 2; Fig. i is a plan view of axial section taken through the connector on the line 5'5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a transverse section through the connector, taken. on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is an'end eleva from the right-hand of said figure; and Fig. Sis a fragmentary elevation of the lower part of Fig. 1.

During recent years the electric lighting of road vehicles has been introduced and has made marvelous progress. ,The progress made has resulted in the design and development of a vast number of electrical appliances, lamps, etc., in use on automobiles, bicycles, etc; but until recently, such devices have not been originated or manufactured with such attention to detail, economy as have similar devices employed in other ofthe electrical arts. However, competition in the lamp business has reached such a pointthat in order to obtain a inar hot for lighting equipment, the manufacturer must produce an article which is exetlicient in operation and comparatively graceful in appearance which can be sold at cut-rateprices and still obtain a fair margin of'profit. Heretofore many electrical head-lamps have beendesigned and manufactured without great atthe or intlie use of materials; others, while being extremely cheap to manufacture, have been so clumsy or unpractioal as to be very y invention relates to improvements in economy, while at the same time the my invention, and in said' drawings Figure 1 is a vertlcal axialsection .main casing 10 the connector; Fig 5 is any efliciency and resilient wire number. of parts;

Patented Feb. 15, 1916.

Application filed January 4, 1915. Serial No. 319.

unsatisfactory when used under the severe conditions of bad Weather, dirt, and vibration encountered when operating road vehicles.

The objectof my invention is to produce 1 an electric head-lamp which is of exceptionally rugged and substantial design, capable of being manufactured with great ease and corresponding economy in manufacture and reliability in operation.

In the draWingsI have shown my invention applied to a bicycle head-lamp of the In the lamp illustrated, the is formed from 'a single pleceof brass or other suitable metal, and comprises a bowl substantially parabolic in shape which isflared outwardly at 11 at the glazing end of the 1 mp, and at the rear end of the bowl, centrally of the axis thereof,

there is formed an integral tubular rearwardly projecting extension 12 large enough to accommodate theplug or connector 18.

In'the front of the casing 10, intermediate the flaring front and the bowl, I prefer to shape, either by a spinning process or by means of suitable dies, an annular outwardly facing seat 14 which is the parabolic reflector 15, the inner end of which is flanged, as shown at 16,- to engage said seat. The circular glazing 17, which closes the outer end ofthe reflector 15, is forced into intimate contact with the annu-v lar flange oft-he latter, and similarly said flange is forced into engagement with its seat support 14 by means of a non-continuous locking ring 18 made of relatively stiff and seated within an annular inwardly "facing groove 1-9 formed in the metal of the outwardly flared continuation of the bowl of the outer casing. The outer bowl-shaped casing 10 and the inner reflector 15 are symmetrical in shape and nested co-axiallytogether,- and the inner refleetor 15 is made with a rearwardly progeneral shape similar to the extension 12 of the outer casing and oo-axial therewith. This OXtBIlSlOIl 20 constitutes "a support for adapted to support jecting integraltnbular extension 20, in its xeenter thereof a the Ediswan base 21 of the lamp bulb 22, which projects inwardly within the bowl of the reflector and is provided with the customary tungsten filament 23 arranged substantially in the focal point of said reflector. The lamp as a whole is supported on the vehicle by means of a clamp 24, which may be of any suitable type admitting of easy and quick adjustment.

Describing first the connector, this includes a main body portion of hard rubber composition or similar material, the inner end 25 of which isa smooth cylinder adapted to slide freely within the tubular extension 12, the outer projecting portion 26 of said connector being alsorcylindrical in shape, but slightly largerin diameter and knurled on its exterior to permit it to be grasped with ease by means of the fingers when occasion arises toremove or adjust the connector. The lamp bulb illustrated is of the single filament type, both of the two terminals of which are insulated from the baseof the lamp casing, making it necessary to equip the connector and lamp base with two sets of contacts. Hence, in the connector I drill or mold a pair of longitudinal apertures extending the length of the connector, parallel with and spaced apart from the axis of the body portion. In each of these longitudinal apertures 27 there is tightly driven or molded in situ a cylindrical rod 28, one end of which is substantially flush with the inner end of the connector and is bored out longitudinally from the inner end to accommodate a plunger 29 between the annular head 30 of which and'the end of the bore is interposed a spiral spring 31 which tends to force said flanged plunger outwardly. The end of the bore in said rod 28 is crimped over slightly so as to reduce its diameter at the end to prevent the plunger 29 from being thrown out and lost, the outer end of said plunger being correspondingly reduced in diameter. In the inner end of each of the rods 28 I drill a transverse terminal hole 32 large enough to admit the end of a suitable electrical conducting wire which is clamped by means of a small axially disposed screw 33 of the rod 28. The screws 33 may be adjusted by means of a small screw driver inserted in the outer ends of the longitudinal bores 27 and the conducting wires can be inserted in said transverse holes 32 of the rods 28 through a pair of transverse apertures 34 drilled in the outer portion 26 of the connector in proper position to register with the transverse holes 32 in said connector rods 28. Substantially midway of the length of the reduced cylindrical ortion 25 of the connector there is "driven transversely and diametrically through the small pin 35 long enough .td project a short threaded into the outer end distance out of the part 25 at both of its ends. This pin 35 passes through the bores 27 without contacting with the connector rods 28, and the axis thereof forms. substantially a right-angle wigh a line connecting the centers of the said ro s.

Referring to the lamp bulb proper, this, as heretofore referred to, is furnished with an Ediswa-n base, this base comprising an insulating filler 36 surrounded by a cylindrical metallic casing 37 and provided with a pair of diametrically opposite contact plates 38 which project slightly from the outer end of the base and are connected to the ends of the tungsten filament within the lamp bulb. These contact plates on their opposite edges are shaped substantially central insulating filler 36, and on their adjacent edges have a somewhat similar curvature, each of the plates spanning approximately one-quarter of the circumference of the base. Adjacent the end of the tubular metallic casing 37 of the base issecured in position a transverse diametrically extending pin somewhat similar to/the pin 35, and also arranged in such position thata plane extending axially of the lamp base and in which the axis of said pin is located, substantially bisects and is zit-rightangles to a line connecting the centers of said contact plates 38.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be noticed that in the end of the tubular extension 12 I form a pair of diametrically opposed and longitudinally extending slots 40, the inner end of each of which terminates in slots 41 and 42 extending circumferentially for a similar distance around the tube 12. All of these slots 40, 41 and 42 are wide enough to admit the ends of the pin 35 and the connector 13, and the opposite ends of the slots 41 and 42 are also cut out, as shown in Fig. 2, in order to furnish small pockets 43 and 43 to accommodate the ends of said pin 35, and adapted to prevent rotary movement of said connector when the pin 35 is located in either set of said pockets. It is manifest that a slight inward endwise movement of the connector 13 will permit the ends of the pin 35 to disengage the pockets with which they may be in engagement, and the connector may then be rotated to bring the ends of the pin 35 into register with the longitudinally extending slots 40, in which position the connector may be withdrawn; or the rotary movement of the connector may be continued so as to bring the in the opposite ends of the slots 42. It

[should be noted that the slots 41 and 42 are to conform with the curvature of the ends of the. pin 35 into engagement with the-pockets 4 "there'is-cut a pair of longitudinally extend.- ing opposed slots 44, similar to the slots 40,.

the bulb is inserted. The outer ends of the 'tube .13. has two permanent positions at right- .angles to each other besides its midway position which permits it to be withdrawn from 12. In the tubular extension 20 extending rearwardly from the reflector 15,

but having their open ends atthe inner end of said tubular extension 20 so as to permit the entrance of the ends of the pins 39 when theseslots 44 are extended in either direc' tlon around the circumference of the tube,

20 so as to form pairs of pockets 45 and 46, the centers of which are spaced apart ninety degrees around: the circumference of thetube. These sets of pockets 45 and 46 are of suitable shape to accommodate the ends of the pin 39 and toprevent movement of the base whenthe'ends ofthe pin 39 are seated in said pockets. It should be noted also that the pockets 45, as shown, are offset longitudinally slightly with reference to the pockets 46 so as to permit of a slight plates 38 when the latter I ister with said pins.

longitudinal adjustment of. the bulb axially of the reflector by rotating it through an angle of ninety degrees and thus changing the location of the seating pin 39 from one set of said pockets to the other set.

It'is manifest that the dimensions of the various parts of the lamp structure are such that when the connector and lamp base are seated in their respective socket tubes, the plunger pins 29 engage the outer end of the base of thebulb and are pushed longitudinally within the connector a sufficient amount to insure a positive contact with the are in proper reg- ,Referring to Figs. 1 and 8, it will be noticed that at the bottom of the outer casing there is formed in the seat 14 by means of a suitable punch a pointed projection 47 which enters a small notch 48 cut out of the periphery of'the flange 16.0f the reflector..'

his insures that the reflector 15 will always be' supported in the casing in the same angular position, and this position is such that in alinement with the pockets 46. This being the case, it is clear connector-pin 35 is placed in the pockets .43 and the lamp base is located in position such that the pin 39 is seated within the pockets '46, the plunger pins 29 will engage the contact plates 38 and the If, however, the

lamp will be energized. connector be turned in an. 'reetion through so that the pinanti-clockwise dian angle of ninety degrees 35 becomes seated in the pockets 43, the ends of the plunger 29 will then be moved into positions such that they ei'lgage the exposed portion of the insulating filler betweenthe' contact plates 38 and do not touch tlleplates 3 8, and thus in this latter position the circuit through the'lamp ment axially of the reflector acting function of the come lost; and,

an outer casing socket adapted to form a support for an an inner reflector seated and having a separate tubular socket adapted to register with said will be broken. It is manifest that if I desire to change the focalposition of the filaby moving the lamp bulb through an angle of ninety degrees so. that the pin 39 becomes seated within the pockets 45, the switching func-- tion of the connector member is not destroyed, since in this position the on and off positions of the connector will be simply reversed.

It is apparent that the locking plungers 29, although carried by the connector, serve as locking members for the base ofthe lamp as Well as for the connector." In this conne ction'itshould be noted that the pockets, 43, 43 are cut in the-outer edge of the connector socket slot, While the pockets 45 and engagement with the pockets 43'or 43 and also at the same time maintaining the base v of the lamp in position in the inner socket 20 by virtue of the ends of the pin 39 being forced into engagement with the pockets 45 or 46 in the inner tubular extension 20. In addition to the above described double plungers 29 as lock ing means for both the base of the lamp and for the connector, these pins 29 also render unnecessary any troublesome flexible electricalconductorsfor making the connection between the base. of the lamp and the outer connector. 1 n It will be apparent from the above description that I have provided an extremely simple and compact search lamp which is constructed of a comparatively small numher-of parts, and those of simple andsubstantial design. No wires or adjustable conneetions are used within the lamp "and no external switch or cut-out is necessary. The supports for the'connectorand the socket, being made integrally with the casing and the reflector, cannot be loosened up or'be-. in general, the design of the lamp is such as to permit of its being manufactured at an extremely-low cost.

Although I have illustrated alamp of this particular type, yet it should be understood that many of the structural details may be modified considerably without departing from the spirit of the invention, and hence, I do not wish to be limited, except as specified in the appended claims. claim I I q 1.; In an electric lamp, the combination ofprovided with a tubular electric connector, w th n sa d casing first socketand adapted to former support for a lamp prO ecti-ng within said reflector,

the preferred embodiment of my invention as applied to a connector supported independently of said second socket projecting outwardly from said first socket and provided with resilient contact means' on its inner end, and a lamp seated within said inner socketand provided with a contact member on its outer base portion adapted to engage said resilient contact means. 2. In an electric search lamp, the combinalotion of an outer'bowl-shaped casing pro-' vided with an integral tubular socket portion, a bowl-shaped reflector nested within said outer bowl and provided with an integral tubular socket portion coaxial with said first extension, an electrical cylindric plug connector detachably supported coaxially in said outer socket, and a lamp bulb provided with a base detachably supported within said reflector extending through said 0 inner socket and adapted directly-to engage said connector.

3. In an electric search lamp, the combination of an outer bowl-shaped casing provided at its base with a tubular extension projecting from and co-axial with the bowl, an inner bowlhaped reflector nested within said outer casing and provided with an outwardly projecting tubular rear extension co axial withand disconnected from said first extension, an electrical connector plug detachably supported in said outer extension, a connection extending through said plugand provided at its inner end with a resilient contact, a lamp bulb within said reflector and providedwith a base extending through said inner tube, and a contact plate on said base adapted directly to en gage said resilientcontact member.

4. In an electric search lamp, the combi- 40 nation of an outer bowl-shaped casing provided with a tubular socket, a reflector nested within said outer casing and provided with a tubular socket substantially co-axial with said outer socket, said outer socket being provided with a T-shaped slot open at its outer end, a cylindrical plug of resilient material provided with a transverse pin projecting from said cylinder and adapted to enter said T-shaped slot, a resilient eccen- Q trically disposed contact member on the inner end of said plug and provided with an electrical connection extending through said plug, an electric bulb contained within said reflector and provided with a base sup- 5 ported within said inner socket, and a contact eccentrically mounted on the rear end of said base adapted to engage said resilient contact member, the ends of the lateral arms of said T-shaped slot being suitably spaced around the circumference of said outer socket to provide an on and 0d position for said contact.

5'. In, an electric search lamp, the combination of an outer bowl-shaped casing pro- 55 y tjed with a tubular socket portion having trically mounted in the inner end of a T-shaped slot in it's-circumference" open atits outer end, an inner reflector seated Within said outer casing and provided with a tubular socket portion registering a' d coaxial with said outer socket, an electi c bulb within said reflector and provided with a cylindrical base supported within said inner socket, said inner socket and base being provided with mutual interlocking engagement whereby said base may be rotated through an angle of substantially ninety degrees within said socket, the socket when in either of said extreme angular positions being located at different longitudinal positions within said socket, a cylindrical'plug of insulating material supported within said outer socket and having a locking pin adapted to enter said T-shaped slot, an electrical connection extending through said plug and provided with a resilient post contact at its inner end, said post contact being eccend sai plug, said plug being adapted to be adjusted by means of said pin in said T-shaped slot in two distinct locking positions ninety degrees apart from each other, an electric bulb contained within said reflector and provided witha resilient base adapted to be adjusted in two positions within said inner socket ninety'degrees apart from each other, and a contact on the outer end of said base adaptedto engage and register with said resilient post member when said base and said connector are in relatively the same angular position, and adapted-to be out of contact when said base and connector are in difierent angular positions. 7

6. In an electric lamp, the combination of an outer casing provided with a bayonet socket, an inner reflector nested within said outer casing and provided with an inner bayonet socket co-axial with said outer socket, a lamp bulb within said reflector and provided with an Ediswan base adapted to be supported within said inner socket, an outer connector provided with an Edi swan base extending and supported within said outer socket, and a resilient connection interposed between the adjacent ends of said Ediswan bases whereby thelainp and connector are locked in position.

7. In an electric lamp, the combination of an outer casing providedwith a bayonet socket, an inner reflector nested within said outer casing and provided with an inner bayonet socket co-axial 'with said, outer socket, a lamp bulb' within said reflector and provided with an *Ediswan" base adapted to be supported within said inner socket, an outer connector provided with an Ediswa'h extension extending and sup portedwithin said outer casing, a resilient contact plunger, and an electric conductor extending from said f plunger outwardly through said connector.

bolic reflector provided with co-axial with the reflector,

8. In an electric search lamp ithe combination of an outer casing, an Inner paraprovided with a T-shaped bayonetslot, the

, pin'seatsat the lateral arms of the-T being longitudinally oifset with reference to each -other,-a lamp bulb provided with a filament adapted to be located substantially at: the focal point of said reflector. and provided with an Ediswan base supported in said inner socket and adapted to be adjusted with its locking pin in either of said seats whereby the filament may be placed in two longitudinal positions co-axial with the reflector,

: a connector supported in said outer casing,

and a resilient contact member interposed between sald connector and a tubular socket said socket beingv said base wherebysaid base is locked position and the and an electric connection is established be- 30 Ltween them.- 4 a f RICHARDH. WELLESJ Witnesses HENRY C. HAGMANN,

HENRY E. HERZOG.

whereby said de- 

